Container top printing mechanism



May 17, 1960 J. COLUMBUS ET AL 2,

CONTAINER TOP PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 10, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS.

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CONTAINER TOP PRINTING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 10, 1958 IN J l: C H2304 P i 1? Isaac VENTORS 020 ml} 5 85 [4/1560 1 W7 A TTORNE Y y 1950 J. COLUMBUS ET AL 2,936,702

CONTAINER TOP PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 10, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 N VENTORS J "mi Em? I S w: LAM/l vy United States Patent CONTAINER TOP PRINTING MECHANISM John Columbus, Herman Pesch, and Isaac L. Wilcox,

Fulton, N .Y., assignors to Sealright-Oswego Falls Corp'oration, Fulton, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application February 10, 1958, Serial No. 714,347 7 6 Claims. (Cl. 101-44) This invention relates to apparatus for printing on the top closures of cartons, or containers, as the same are intermittently advanced in a procession. The apparatus is employed particularly for printing the day, or date, the containers were filled and sealed and in that connection, the apparatus is shown herein in conjunction with, or as an accessory to, a machine for filling and closing cartons in an intermittently advancingprocession, such as shown in Patent No. 2,692,463, issued to I. L. Wilcox et 211., October 26, 1954. The invention has as an object, apparatus for printing on the top closures of cartons and embodying a structural arrangement which functions automatically to efiiciently print the top closure of each carton and which is particularly rugged and durable in use, whereby the apparatus is operable over long periods of time without adjustment, or maintenance.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forthand claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the printing apparatus embodying our invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view with the type carrying member shown in section, and with the print type having been moved to substantially complete its tangential contact with the inking roll.

Figure 3 is a view, similar to Figure 2, showing the type carrying member moved laterally and downwardly to position the print type in contact with the car-ton top closure.

Figure 4 is a view taken on line 44, Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the lower right portion of Figure 1, with the latch positioned in latching engagement to render the type carrying member inoperable.

Figure 6 is a view showing the type. carrying member in section and being moved to the completion of its return stroke, and with the type withdrawn to avoid contact with the inking roll on its forward stroke.

Figure 7 is a view taken on a line corresponding to line 7-7, Figure 2, illustrating the mounting of the ink pot and inking roll.

Figure 8 is a view taken on line 88, Figure 7.

Figure9 is a view taken on line 9-9, Figure 8.

Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional view of the print type mounting structure, the view being taken 90 from that shown in the lower right portion of Figure 1.

Figure 11 is a view taken on line 9-9, Figure 10.

The apparatus includes a frame, the main element-of ends, see Figures 2 and 3.

the arm 21 is moved downwardly by the downward which is in the form of a plate 10 fixedly secured to a a; cated as the end column of the machine shown in Patent No. 2,692,463, above referred to. That machine embodies carton conveyor mechanism operable to intermittently advance the cartons C along a guide rail 32. In that machine, a top closure applying and/or closing head 921 is carried by pins 916 slidably mounted in fixed brackets 917, see Figure the head 921 being moved vertically into and out of engagement with the cartons C on the guide rail 32 during the dwell period of the carton conveyor. This vertical movement is effected by an actuator 20 afiixed to the pins 916 and, to effect synchronized operation of the printing apparatus of our invention, motion transmitting means including a member 21 is fixed to the actuator 20, as by screws 22, whereby the member 21 is reciprocated vertically in unison with the movement of the closing head 921.

The print type 35 is fixed to a print type carrier or type carrying member 36 formed in its upper portion with an elongated slot 37 to receive a stud or pivot pin 38 fixedly mounted in the frame plate portion 13. A spacing collar 40 is mounted on the stud 38 intermediate the plate 13 and the type carrying member 36, and the latter is maintained on the stud by a washer and nut 41, 42, see Figures 1 and 4. The member 36 is formed with a laterally extending curved arm 46 to which an end piece 47 is pivotally attached by a pin 48. The end piece is adjustably afiixed to a rod 50 which, in like manner, carries at its upper end an end piece 51 apertured to receive a bolt 52 extending through an elongated slot 53 formed in the outer end of the actuating member 54, the opposite end of which is pivotally mounted on the upper end of plate 10 by a stud 55. The bolt 52 is formed with an intermediate flange 57 engaging one side of the actuating arm 54, the bolt being tightened in adjusted position in the slot 53 by a nut 58. The end piece 51 is maintained on the outer portion of the bolt 52 against the flange 57 by a washer 60 and pin 61. The bolt is formed with an outwardly extending portion 62 to which the upper end of a tension spring 63 is hooked. The lower end of this spring is hooked into a link 66 connected by pin 67 to the upper bifurcated end portion 68 of the type carrying member 36, the spring 63 serving to yieldingly urge the member 36 upwardly, With the bottom of the slot 37 engaging the stud 38,. as shown in Figure 2.

The actuating arm 54 is formed with a depending ear 69 in which the upper end of a second tension spring 70 is hooked, the lower end being hooked on a pin 71 fixedly mounted in the portion 13 of the frame plate. The arm 21 is provided with an outwardly projecting pin 74 engaging the under side of the arm 54 intermediate its With this arrangement, when movement of the container closing head, the arm 54 is permitted to swing downwardly about its pivot 55. This downward movement initially efiects pivotal movement of the type carrying member 36 about the stud 38 until the member 36 has assumed a vertical position and then,

further downward movement of the arm elfects downward movement of the member 36 to move the print type 35 into engagement with the surface of the carton top closure 75, as shown in Figure 3, this downward movement being against the action of the spring 63.

The print type 35 is attached to a block formed in its upper face with a spherical recess 81 to receive a spherical head portion 82 of a plunger 83. The plunger 83 is slidably mounted in a sleeve 84 mounted in a bore formed in the lower end of the carrying member 36. This lower end portion of the carrier member is formed with a boss 87, and the member is formed with a slot 88 extending through the boss and into the bore in which the sleeve 84 is mounted, One side of the slotted boss Patented May 17, 1960 3 is apertured to receive a clamp screw 90 which threads into the other portion of the boss to contract the lower portion of the carrying member 36 tofixedly secure the sleeve 84 therein. The sleeve is apertured transversely to receive a pin 91 having a portion extending into the slot. 88 to prevent relative rotation of the sleeve and carrying member during the axial adjustment of the sleeve therein.

The plunger 83-is milled ofi, as at 92, onopposite sides just above the spherical portion 82, and the print block 80 is formed with a pair of transversely extending apertures to receive the legs of a U-shaped retaining key 94, see Figures and 11. With this arrangement, the block '80 is detachably secured to the lower end of the plunger and a self-aligning effect is produced by the spherical concavity 81 formed in the block and thespherical head 82 on the plunger and in order to permit free self-aligning movement of the print block and print type, a compression spring 95 is positioned between the end of the plunger and the block 80.

The plunger 83 is formed with an aperture 97 elongated in a direction axially of the plunger and having at one side .of the plunger a tapered or angular surface 98. A pin 99 is positioned in the slot 97 and has an enlarged head portion 100 with a conical surface 101 joining the pin shank. The sleeve 84 is formed with aligned transversely extending apertures, one to receive the shank portion of pin 99, and the other to receive the enlarged head portion 100, see Figures 2, 3, 6 and 10.

The upper end of the plunger 83 is formed with an axially extending bore in which a compression spring 102 is positioned and acts to yieldingly urge the plunger downwardly, this downward movement being limited by pin 99.

An inking roll 108 is journalled in the frame on a stud 109 which,,at its inner end, is fixedly secured to a plate 110. The plate 110 is journalled on a stud 111 and the plate is adjusted about the axis of the stud 111 by a bolt 112 having an eccentric portion 113 adjacent its head, the plate 110 being formed with-an elongated aperture 114 to receive the cam or eccentric portion 113 of the bolt. The bolt 112 is located to effect adjustment of the plate and accordingly, the position of the inking I011 108, and a nut 115 is then tightened to fixedly secure the bolt to the frame plate 10.

During lateral movement of the print type in a counterclockwise direction, Figures 2, 3 and 6, the print type 35 is caused to have tangential engagement with the inking roll 108. When this engagement has been completed to ink the surface of the type, the head 100 of pin 99 engages an adjustable stop screw 120 fixedly mounted on portion 13 of theframeplate, causing the pin to be rrioved inwardly, whereby the plunger 83 is cammed up wardly by the action of the conical surface 101 on the pin head, with the angular end portion 98 of the slot 97 in the plunger. This movement of the pin places the outer cylindrical portion of the head 100 into the straight portion of the slot 98, this arrangement being illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings. The plunger 83 is thus cammed upwardly against the action of the spring 102, causing the type 35 to move toward the pivot stud 38..

Accordingly, when the type carrying structure is moved in a clockwise direction, the print type will not again con tact the peripheral surface of the inking roll 108. When the structure has been moved to bring the carrier 36 in vertical position, as shown in Figure 3, the now projecting end portion of the pin 99 engages a stop pin 121, moving the pin in the opposite direction to move the enlarged head portion 100 outwardly from the straight portion of slot 97 to the position shown in Figures 3 and 10, whereby the print type 35 is moved to its printing position so that, upon the downward vertical movethe top closure 75 of the carton C.

Provision is made to impart rotation to the inking roll 108 in a clockwise direction, Figures 2, 3 and '6, during the tangential engagement thereof by the print type 35. Referring to Figure 9, a pinion gear 130 is journalled on the stud 109 and is fixedly secured to the inking roll, as by a pin 131. There is journalled on the outer portion of the stud 111 a gear 132 arranged in mesh with the pinion 130. There is journalled on the outer hub portion of the gear 132, a plate 134, this plate having a length exceeding the radius of gear 132, and the outer portion of the plate is apertured to receive a pin 140. A rod end piece 141 is mounted on the outer end of the pin 140 and is .adjustably connectd to'an end piece 142 by a threaded rod 144. The end piece 142 is pivotally connected to the free end of the arm 46 formed integral with the carrying member 36. On the inner end of the pin 140, there is mounted a pawl 145 for engagement withithe teeth of the gear 132, the pawl being maintained in such engagement by a tension spring 1146 hooked on the pawl and on a pin 147 carried by the plate 134. 'The arrangement is such that, upon down:

, wise direction, and the gear 132 is rotated in the same di-.

, on a stud 152 projecting outwardly from the plate 110,

, type 35 .is supplied with ink, and if this coating of ink is see Figure 7. The .pot 151 has a projection 153 engaged by the head of an adjusting screw 154, the screw being mounted in the outer offset portion 155 of a bracket 156 also fixedly secured to the plate The screw is urged downwardly by compression'springs 157 acting against the under side ofv the bracket portion and the head of the screw, see Figure 8. The upper endof the screw is provided with a pair of knurled jam nut-S153. A doctor blade .160 is fastened to the outer or free end of the ink pot, as by screws 161. This blade serves to determine the amount of ink carried by'the surface of the inking roll and applied to the type 35. The adjustment of thev ink pot by screw. 154 and nuts 158 is to effect proper adjustment of the doctor blade relative to the inking roll, and the adjustment of the plate 110 by thebolt cam 113 is to effect proper contact of the type 35 with the inking roll.

As previously stated, the conveyor apparatus operates continuously to intermittently advance the procession of cartons along the guide rail 32 and the closing head 921, which operates in unison with the conveyorthat is,it moves downwardly during the dwell of the conveyorto afiix the top closure to the body of the carton. The fact that there may not be a carton present at the top closure sealing station causes no difficulty upon the descentof the closing head 921. However, if no carton is present at the printing station, it is not desirable that the printing apparatus be actuated because, as previously explained, with each operation of the printing apparatus, theprint not transferred in the printing operation to the top of a carton, thecoating builds up and when a printing opera, tion eventually takes place, it would likely be smudged. Accordingly, means is provided for rendering the printing apparatus inoperative or in its upper rest positionif, during the dwell of the carton conveyor, no carton is presented at the printing station. This means is'in the term are latch member 170 'mounted'on a" shaft 171 journalled at its ends in bearing blocks 172. The latch member 170 is arranged to engage a shoulder 174 formed on the rod end 47, as shown in Figure 5. A block 177 is aflixed to the outer end of the shaft 171 and there is a carton detector 178 aflixed to the block, as by screws 179, the detector 178 curving downwardly above the conveyor in the path traveled by the cartons. As a carton is moved to the printing station, the detector 178 is engaged, efiecting counter-clockwise rotation of the shaft and latch member 170, Figure 5, moving the upper end of the latchmember out of engagement with the rod end 47, as shown in Figure 1. The arrangement is such that the latch 170 is urged by gravity-into latching position, shown in Figure 5. It will be understood that the detector member 178 is engaged by the container top as the container is being advanced to'the printing station, and the downward movement of arm 54 is permitted by downward movement of the closing head 921 subsequent to the arrival of the container at the printing station. Accordingly, if a container is absent at the printing station during the dwell of the conveyor, the type carrying member 36 and arm 54 is latched upwardly and downward movement of the closing head and arm 21 simply permits downward movement of the pin 74 from the arm 54.

The apparatus described operates efiiciently to print on the top closures of all containers presented at the printing station and, because of its structural arrangement, it so functions over long periods of constant use without getting out of adjustment.

What we claim is: i

1. Apparatus for printing on top closures of containers as the same are successively presented at a printing station by an intermittently advancing container conveyor comprising a frame at said station, a pivot pin fixed to the frame above said conveyor, a type carrier formed with an elongated slot for receiving said pivot pin, a print type on the lower end of said carrier, an inking roll journalled in the frame laterally from said pivot pin, said carrier being capable of oscillation about said pin to move said print type into and out of tangential inking engagement with said inking roll and having sliding movement, when vertically disposed, toward and from a container on said conveyor, spring means urging said carrier upwardly relative to said pivot pin, an actuating member mounted on the frame for movement downwardly and upwardly during the dwell period of the conveyor, motion transmitting means connecting said actuating member and said type carrier and being operable upon initial downward movement of said actuating member to oscillate said type carrier to move'said print type from juxtaposition to said inking roll to a vertical position above the container top and upon further downward movement to cause said print type carried to move downwardly for engagement of the print type with the container top to print thereon, and said motion transmitting means being operable upon upward movement of said actuating member to move said type carrier vertically upwardly and thence effect oscillation of said member about said pivot to cause said print type to tangentially contact said inking roll and move beyond the same to rest position, latch means operable to maintain said type carrier in said rest position, and means operable upon presentation or" a container at said printing station to release said latch means.

2. Apparatus for printing on top closures of containers as the same are successively presented at a printing station by an intermittently advancing container conveyor comprising a frame at said station, a pivot pin fixed to the frame above said conveyor, a type carrier formed with an elongated slot for receiving said pivot pin, a print type on the lower end of said carrier, an inking roll journalled in the frame laterally from said pivot pin, said carrier being capable of oscillation about said pin to move said print type into and out of tangential inking engagement with said inking roll and having sliding movement, when vertically disposed, toward and from a container on said conveyor, spring means urging said carrier upwardly relative to said pivot pin, an actuating member mounted on the frame for movement downwardly and upwardly during the dwell period of the conveyor, motion transmitting means connecting said actuating member and said type carrier and being operable upon initial downward movement of said actuating member to oscillate said type carrier to move said print type from juxtaposition to said inking roll to a vertical position above the container top and upon further downward movement to cause said print type carrier to move downwardly for engagement of the print type with the container top to print thereon, and said motion transmitting means being operable upon upward movement of said actuating member to move said type carrier vertically upwardly and thence effect oscillation of said member about said pivot to cause said print type to tangentially contact said inking roll and move beyond the same to,

rest position, latch means operable to maintain said type carrier in said rest position, and means operable upon presentation of a container at said printing station to release said latch means, and means operable during oscillatory movement of the carrier in one direction about said fixed pivot to maintain said print type out of inking contact with said inking roll.

3. Apparatus for printing on top closures of containers as the same are successively presented at a printing station by an intermittently advancing container conveyor;

comprising a frame at said station, a pivot pin fixed to the frame above said conveyor, a type carrier formed with an elongated slot for receiving said pivot pin, a print type on the lower end of said carrier, an inking roll journalled in the frame laterally from said pivot pin, said carrier being capable of oscillation about said pin to move said print type into and out of tangential inking engagement with said inking roll and having slid..- ing movement, when vertically disposed, toward and from a container on said conveyor, spring means urging said carrier upwardly relative to said pivot pin, an actuating member mounted on the frame for movement downwardly and upwardly during the dwell period of the conveyor, motion transmitting means connecting said actuating member and said type carrier and being operable upon initial downward movement of said actuating member to oscillate said type carrier to move said print type from juxtaposition to said inking roll to a vertical position above the container top and upon further downward movement to cause said print type carrier to move downwardly for engagement of the print type with the container type to print thereon, and said motion transmitting means being operable upon upward movement of said actuating member to move said type carrier vertically upwardly and thence efiect oscillation of said carrier about said pivot to cause said print type to tangentially contact said inking roll and move beyond the same to rest position, latch means operable to maintain said type carrier in said rest position, and means operable upon presentation of a container at said printing station torelease said latch means, and means operable during oscillation of said carrier from said rest position to said vertical position to maintain said print type out of engagement with said roll.

4. Apparatus for printing on top closures of containers as the same are successively presented at a printing station by an intermittently advancing container conveyor comprising a frame at said station, a pivot pin fixedly secured to the frame above said conveyor, a type carrier formed with an elongated slot for receiving said pivot pin, a print type slidably mounted in the lower end of said carrier for movemnet in a direction parallel with said slot, means yieldingly urging said print type outwardly of the carrier, an inking roll journalled in the frame laterally from said pivot pin, a plunger mounted in the'carri'er ifor'i'sliding movement normal to the movement of said print type, said plunger being shiftable into a first position torperm'it said print type to move outwardly of the carrier for inking engagement with said roll, said plunger being shiftable to a second position for moving said print type inwardly of the'carrier, said carrier being capable of oscillation about said pin to movesaid print type toward and from said inking roll and having slidable movement when vertically disposed toward and from a carton on said conveyor, spring means yieldingly urging said carrier upwardly relative to said pivot pin, an actuating member mounted on the frame for movement downwardly and upwardly during the dwell period of the conveyor, motion transmitting means connecting said actuating member and said type carrier and being operable upon initial downward movement of said actuating member to oscillate saidtype carrier to move said print type from juxtaposition to said inking roll to a vertical position above the container top, means operable to shift said plunger to said first position beyond movement of said carrier to vertical position, said motion transmitting means being operable upon further downward movement to cause said print type carrier to move downwardly for engagement of the print typewith the container top to print thereon, and said motion transmitting means being operable upon upward movement of said actuating member to move said type carrier vertically upwardly and thence effect oscillation of said carrier about said pivot to cause said print type to tangentially contact. said inking roll and move the same to a rest position, means operable upon movement of said carrier to said rest position to move said plunger into said second position, latch means operable to maintain said' type carrier in said rest position, and means operable upon presentation of a container at said printing station to release said latch meansw 6 5. Apparatus for printing on the top of closures of containers as the same are successively presented at a printing'station by an intermittently advancing conveyor comprising aframe at said station, a pivot pin fixed to the frame above said conveyor, a second pivot pin fixed to the frame and spaced laterally from said first pivot pin, a plate journalled on said second pivot pin and extending laterally therefrom in a direction toward the 7 vertical plane in which said first pivot pin is mounted,

an inking roll "jouinalled on said plate, a type carrier formed with an elongated slot for receiving said first when vertically disposed, toward and from a container on said conveyor, spring means urging said carrier upward relative to said pivot pin, an actuating member mounted on the farme for movement downwardly and upwardly during the dwell period of the conveyor, motion transmitting means connecting said actuating member and said type carrier and being operable upon initial downward movement of said actuating member to move said print type from a rest position intermediate vsaid inking roll and said secondpivot pin to a vertieal position above the container top on said conveyor and upon further downward movement to cause said printtype carrier "to move downwardly to effect engagement of said means operable upon presentation of a carton at said printing station to release said latch means, and said plate being .adjustablerabout the axis of said second pivotpinfto effect movement-oi said inking roll toward andfrom the axis of said first pivot pin to thereby vary the ink deposit on s'aid'type,'said motion transmitting means including structure for effecting rotation of said inking roll in timed relation to the movement of said print type toward said rest position.

'6. Apparatus for printing on top closures of containers as the .samerare successively presented at a printing'station by an' intermittently advancing container conveyor comprisinga frame at said station, a type carrier mounted on the-frame at said station for, rotation about an axis extending parallel to said conveyor and having sliding movement, when vertically disposed, toward and from acontainer-on said conveyor, a print type on the lower end of said carrier, an inking roll journalled'in theframe laterally from said axis, said carrier being capable of oscillation about said axis to move said print type into and out of tangential inking engagement with said inking roll, spring means urging said carrier upwardly, an actuating member mounted on the .frame for movement downwardlytand upwardly during the dwell period of the conveyor, motion transmitting means connecting said actuating member and said type carrier and being operable upon initial downward movement of said actuating member to oscillate said type carrier to move said print type from juxtaposition to said inking roll to a vertical position above the container top and upon further downward movement to cause said print type carrier to move downwardly for engagement of the print type with the con tainer top to print thereon, and said motion transmitting means being operable upon upward movemnet of said actuating member to move said type carrier vertically upwardly and thence effect oscillation of said member about said axis to cause said print type to tangentially contact said inking roll and move beyond thesame to rest position, latch means operable to maintain said typecarrier in said rest position, and meansoperable upon presentation of a container at said printing station to release said latch means.

2,113,867 Weymouth Apr. 12, 1938 Porter et al. Jan. 14, 1958' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,936,702 May N 1960 John Columbus et ale ppears in the-printed specification It is hereby certified that error a orrection and that the said Letters of the above numbered patent requiring c Ifatent should read as corrected below.

Column 5 line 54L for "carried" reed carrier --5 column 6, line 52, for "type" read top -c.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of November 1960 (SEAL) Aitest:

KARL H. AXLINE Attesting Officer ROBERT C. WATSON Commissioner of Patents 

